Finnish authorities will adhere to the Strasbourg Court's decision that prohibited to deport a disabled woman back to Russia, a spokeswoman for Finnish embassy in Russia said on Thursday.
Irina Antonova, an 82-year-old disabled woman who had suffered a stroke and cannot take care of herself, was brought to Finland from Russia, by her daughter, a Finnish citizen, in February 2008. Her guest visa has since expired and Finland's migration service ruled that she could not be permitted to stay in the country and must be deported.
The family lawyer has taken an appeal against Antonova's deportation to the European Court of Human Rights. On Wednesday the Court ordered Finland not to deport Antonova.
"It is a temporary decision yet, but we will adhere to it. The process of making the final decision is likely to take much time," Vesa Kekyale said, adding Finland will follow any decision by the Strasbourg Court.
Several human rights activists and politicians, including Finnish President Tarja Halonen, have criticized migration officials over the decision.
On May 31, thousands of people took to the streets in Helsinki to protest the earlier deportation decision.
MOSCOW, 17 June (RIA Novosti)
